A Demoted Angel
by NephilimEQ
Summary: How the movie Labyrinth should have ended...Jareth reminds Sarah why he's there.
1. What Should Have Been Said

**Chapter 1 - What Should Have Been Said**

Sarah watched at him as he slowly appeared in the broken archway, shocked as he made his way toward her. Her mind frantically worked for an answer as to what was happening…and then she knew exactly what to say.

"Give me the child…"

Her tone was quiet, unassuming…innocent. Her thoughts however had now become frantic. This was the part of the story where things got intense, where one single wrong word could cause everything to _truly_ fall apart.

Jareth's voice had a hard edge as he spoke. "Sarah, beware. I have been generous up till now, but I can be cruel."

She let her thoughts mull over his tone and his words. She thought over all of his actions up until that point, trying to understand why he was saying what he was saying. She could see no reason for his words to make any sense except for his being cruel.

Sarah quickly voiced her inner question. "Generous? What have you done that's generous?"

He began to circle her as he spoke, his tone rising with every single point that he drove through.

"Everything! Everything that you have wanted, I have done. You asked that the child be taken; I took him. You cowered before me; I _was_ frightening. I have reordered _time_. I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for _you!_ I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?"

Sarah took in his words, suddenly realizing how true all of them were. She _had_ asked for Toby to taken and he had merely done as she had asked. According to the story of the Labyrinth he was _supposed_ to be frightening, it was what she had expected…and he had followed the story to the letter. He _had_ reordered time and changed everything for her…but no. She was not going to let him win; she just _had_ to get Toby back.

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City. For my will is as strong as yours and my-"

He cut her off, raising his hand towards her. "Stop! Wait…look, Sarah. Look at what I am _offering_ you. Your dreams!"

She continued, ignoring the crystal sphere that appeared on his fingertips, even though she was slightly tempted. "And my kingdom as great."

Sarah walked a few steps forward, pushing herself in her confidence and pushing him a few steps back, letting her feel as though she were the one in control. Although she had no illusions…he was the one with the true power.

He continued to plead. "I ask for so little. Just let me rule you and you can have _every_thing that you want!"

She turned from him slightly, wracking her brain for any bit of sense to come back to her. She twisted and practically felt her thoughts knotting together as she tried to remember the next few lines, willing them to fall from her tongue.

"My kingdom as great…" She paused. "Damn! I can never remember that line."

Unnoticed by her, Jareth's look had turned desperate, beseeching. Almost as though he were internally praying that she would change her mind, or instead never remember the next line that he knew would damn him. He begged her once more.

"Just fear me, love me…do as I say, and I will be your _slave!_"

He could still see her working it out in her mind. He had to say it, or else she would remember. "Sarah…do you not remember the words you spoke before? The reason why I granted your wish that the child be taken? Why I am here before you?"

She looked up at him, confusion furrowing her brow. "What do you mean?"

He slowly dropped his hand, giving it a theatrical twist causing the crystal sphere to shift and change just slightly, and he gave her a deep look.

"I mean, Sarah, the reason why I am here in front of you…why I have followed you."

With that statement he lifted his hand and rolled the crystal sphere in front of her eyes, making her look into what was inside of it. He watched with baited breath as her eyes went somewhat unfocused and her defensive stance somewhat lessened.

Sarah lost herself to the vision that suddenly filled her mind. She was back in her dad and step-mom's bedroom, Toby crying in the crib behind her. She was frustrated and lashed out with her words, trying to placate the crying child.

"What do you want? Do you want a story? Huh? Okay… Once upon a time there was a beautiful young girl whose step-mother always made her stay home with the baby, and the baby was a spoiled child and he wanted everything for himself and the young girl was practically a slave. But what no one knew was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl and he had given her certain powers…"

After that it went back and repeated the scene of her saying "the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl"…and she was suddenly moved to the ballroom, where she watched herself pull away from him and then saw the almost shattered look on his face as she left his arms.

She then jerked from the memory.

Oh god…what was she about to do?

She looked at the Goblin King with brand new eyes and suddenly she understood the desperation that she saw in his face. She had finally remembered the last words that she needed to say, but found herself reluctant to speak them. Could she do it? Could she shatter his heart?

He gazed at her imploringly, his shoulders dropped. He already seemed partially broken at the way she'd been acting towards him.

The words remained on the tip of her tongue, and she shaped them in her mind, but she found that she could not speak them.

What was she going to do? Suddenly, at that thought, she realized what she could do. She gave him a long look, the silence stretching between the two of them. Then she slowly lowered her eyes before raising them once more to his.

"I'll…I'll stay with you," she said in a quiet whisper. "_Only_…only if you let Toby go."

His eyes seemed to light up and she felt something inside of her flutter slightly at the sight. It was different from his other looks. It was…hopeful. She waited with baited breath, certain that he might turn on her in a second, but he didn't. Instead, a slow smile crossed his lips.

"I can do that," he said, not a trace of the previous edge that had been in his voice.

With an almost delicate bend of his wrist, she saw the crystal in his hand change slightly and she knew that he was complying with her wishes. He gave her a serious look, one that seemed to read straight into her and she felt slightly uncomfortable beneath his watchful gaze.

The crystal left his fingers, and a few seconds passed.

"It is done, Sarah."

She let out the air from her lungs, not even realizing that she'd been holding her breath. Her sides ached slightly, but she was relieved. She'd done what she'd set out to do. She'd saved Toby.

Sarah waited for the Goblin King to step forward, but he didn't…and that was when she realized. He was waiting for her to make the first move. In fact, that's what he'd been doing the entire time. Waiting for her. Simply waiting.

He had only ever reacted to something that she'd done. He had never taken the offensive. She asked, he took. She said it was easy, he made it harder. She jumped, he fell apart…and now he was still waiting. But why her? Why would anyone wait for her? She wasn't anything special. In fact, according to her father and step-mom, she was about as average and annoying as teenage girls came. So why was the Goblin King looking at her that way? As though she held his life in her hands? Didn't he understand that she had just surrendered to him? That she had given up her previous life, _everything_, in order to save her brother?

He continued to stare, but then pulled his eyes away. Those eyes…they were so very unique. When he had asked her how she had liked his Labyrinth, when she had been in the tunnels, it had taken her a second to answer as she had been thrown off by the look in his eyes. Or, more specifically, the look _of_ his eyes.

When he'd pulled her into dream state and danced with her, her eyes never left his during the entire dance until right at the end. She had realized then that they were not two different colors, but instead one was dilated and the other wasn't. The color was the same, but the perspective was different. Her mind lingered on the word… Perspective. She shivered slightly as she remembered the dance. Why hadn't she seen it before? Right at the end…the _real_ reason that she had pulled away from him.

He had moved closer. Everyone's eyes had been on the two of them, as though they were waiting for something to happen. Something…monumental.

She remembered ripping herself from his grasp and not looking back. But now she had also seen the emotion that was in him. Had he…? No, it wasn't possible…but maybe? She glanced down at her hands where she'd been unconsciously wringing them back and forth in apprehension.

He was the one to break the silence. "I will show you to your rooms. Everything is at your disposal, Sarah. You need only to ask for something, and it will be given to you. "

With that she looked back up, as he had walked by her as he had spoken, and she noticed that the room was once again the way that it was.

She then noticed that his hand was outstretched, and she balked. What kind of invitation was this? She pulled back and once more she saw the hurt in his eyes at her non-verbal reaction to his, what she could see now to be, genuine invitation.

"I…" She paused, not sure how to continue. "I have rooms?"

He seemed puzzled by her reaction, and he slowly dropped his hand. "Sarah, you are now considered by the Labyrinth to be my equal. In essence, my queen. I will not force you into anything, but you will have all of the luxuries that the seat has to offer, including your own rooms."

She slowly nodded, finally understanding. "I see."

He lifted his hand once more, this time somewhat hesitantly. "May I show them to you?"

Sarah slowly nodded her head, and let her hand fit to his.

* * *

><p><strong>Part 1?**


	2. The Realm of the Goblin King

**Chapter 2 - The Realm of the Goblin King**

There was a sudden feel of wind passing straight through her body and then an abrupt stop. She looked around and found herself in a huge stone room, similar to the style in his dusty castle, but one that was beautifully decorated.

However, the first thing to catch her eye was a bookshelf on the far wall. She could see gold embossing on leather spines, and she could feel her fingers itching to pull one from the shelf and look through it. She was sure that she'd never seen such books before in her life, and she could think of nothing better than to read her way through the new world that she was in. She knew that he had used his abilities to take them there, but she honestly did _not_ care at that moment.

She took a few tentative steps further into the room, unaware of the fact that his eyes were following her every move, the same expression on his face as when he'd first taken her in his arms on the imaginary dance floor.

She lifted a tentative hand, finding herself insatiably curious about the books in front of her. As her hand brushed against the red leather binding in front of her, she felt a tingle run through her arm and along her spine. She then watched in fascination as the book seemed to fit itself to her hand as she slowly pulled it out. It was as if it _knew_ that she wanted to open it.

The Goblin King slipped out silently, leaving her to her own devices. It would do no good to try to force what wasn't there. She would do things her own way, and he knew that nothing he could say or do would change that. Sarah, completely engrossed with the book before her, did not even notice as he left the room. The book in front of her was filled with beautifully detailed pencil and charcoal sketches of cities and towns and castles that apparently had all existed at one point or another in this realm that Jareth lived in.

When she finally lifted her eyes and saw that he had gone, a soft sigh of relief escaped her. She wasn't sure if she could take much more from him.

However, he was right about several things. He _had_ asked for so little, and yet he had done everything she had asked of him. In a sense, he was already her slave, but now even more so.

She glanced down once more at the open book in her hands and ran a finger along the signature in the bottom corner. Many of the drawings had been done by one artist, but the illegible scrawl made it next to impossible to determine who the identity of the person was.

Whoever they were, they truly had a gift. Every line seemed to suggest strength or whatever the picture called for. The banners that were drawn had such movement in their lines, that for a few seconds she could swear that they were actually blowing in the breeze, but of course they weren't. Every part of each picture was stunning, and every now and again a person would be in one, but they seemed so unearthly beautiful, so _not_ human, as to remind her that she was very far away from home.

This caused her to wonder...what was Jareth exactly? He wasn't a goblin, that much was obvious, but what was he?

As she thought this over, she allowed her eyes to continue to roam over the pages, taking in every detail of the drawings as much as she could.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Jareth was a king. She had called him the Goblin King, but she hadn't truly understood what it meant. He was royalty, he was of noble blood. At that thought, her eyes lifted to the bookshelf in front of her. Surely this realm had a book of the royal line, didn't it?

She began to scan the shelves in front of her, and almost as if the shelves had a conscious awareness of what she was looking for she was drawn to the bottom left corner where a certain book seemed to stand out more than the others. It had a dark, mottled leather cover…or what she assumed to be leather. For all she knew it was some other material, and as she touched it the pages fell open and she was suddenly confronted by another drawing. This time it was one of seven young men, all around the same age.

And she saw him…all the way on the left, separate from the rest of them. It was Jareth. He had a somber look on his face, but his bearing was as imperious as it was now. She glanced down the page and saw a list of their names.

_Brothers: Jareth, Auryn, Edryd, Brynnach, Haydn, Wynn, and Idris. Approx. 700 B.C._

She did a double take on the date. That couldn't be right…that couldn't be him. But the detail on the eyes was very particular. One pupil dilated, the other contracted…it was most definitely him, without a doubt. He even had the same look of severity about him, as if he had already been given the burden of rule and was trying to bear its' entire weight on his shoulders by himself, as though he did not have his brothers around him and the lot fell to him and him alone.

There was a history on the next page, but this writing was one that could not recognize. It was in a language that she could not comprehend. It was handwritten and as she ran her fingers across the strange letters, she felt as though there was something sacred about them.

She continued to turn through the pages, caressing each one with reverence. Something about the pages was causing a soft sensation to run through her, a silvery tingle along her spine as she turned them and then finally closed the book, placing it back onto the shelf where it had been put probably many years before she was born.

Finally, she took a look at the rest of the room. There was a daybed of sorts in the corner, right next to a window that had been carved out of the wall.

She moved towards the window, curious of what her view was…and felt her breath rush right out of her.

Instead of the brown colored wasteland that she had been expecting, she saw luscious trees and a stunning garden that had red, pink, white, and yellow roses running throughout the entire expanse of the lawn. It was, quite literally, breathtaking.

Sarah finally managed to pull her eyes away and looked at the rest of the room. It was surprisingly empty, but there was a thick, dark blue rug on the stone floor, as well as a large tapestry on the far wall…where she then saw the door. She moved to it, and as soon as her fingertips brushed the surface of the heavy wood, it swung open without effort. As she crossed the threshold she once again had the experience of her breath rushing out of her.

A beautifully ornate four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room, diaphanous white material clinging to its sides. The wood was light in its color, making her think of ash, but she was no wood expert, so she wasn't sure.

She ran a hand along the intricate carvings on the posts and glanced around the rest of the bedroom.

There were lots of light woods, which matched quite nicely with the sand colored stone. Everything was exactly what she would want if she could have rooms such as these…and then she remembered. The rooms _were_ hers.

With a small smile, she moved towards an area that looked like it was made for getting dressed, and she found a hidden alcove in which she found several stunning gowns...including the one that she had worn in her dream like state in the crystal that he had sent to her to get her off of the path. She didn't know what was expected of her, but she knew that she wanted to try on some of the dresses. She saw a much simpler dress, an off-white one that seemed as though it would be very easy to move around in as it had no extra frills and almost seemed modern in its' sleek style, so she reached for it.

The material clung to her fingers as she drew it down from where it hung, and she shivered at the silky feel of it. Quickly, she slid out of her shoes, jeans and shirt, and then drew the dress over her, shivering once again as the material hit her skin.

She turned and discovered a mirror in the supposed changing area, and she was frozen into stillness at what she saw.

No…that couldn't be her. But as she moved her right hand and the person in the mirror did the same, she was forced to accept the fact that it _was_ her.

The woman in mirror, for she could not call her a girl, was stunning. The cream colored fabric clung to her just right as to hint to healthy curves beneath, and the texture seemed to bring out a subtle glow in her eyes and skin.

She reached a hand up and pulled her hair away from the left side of her face, shocked at what she was seeing. She had always considered herself to be quite plain, neither ugly nor beautiful, but this said otherwise. This said that she _was_ beautiful, very much so, in fact. But she still couldn't quite believe it. It had to be some sort of trick of magic, something that Jareth had conjured up. That the dresses here were made to magically make you more beautiful than you were, or something like that.

Because this couldn't be her.

* * *

><p><strong>Part 2?**


	3. Nothing Is As It Seems

**Chapter 3 - Nothing Is As It Seems**

Sarah moved away from the mirror and walked back into the main bedroom, passing through it quickly back into what she now called in her mind, the study, barely noticing the cool floor against her now bare feet.

She was distracted as she reached for yet another book from the shelf, but then she heard a soft knocking on the outer door of the room. The one that she assumed led to the rest of the castle.

"Come in," she called out quietly, wondering who it might be.

Seconds after she had spoken, the door swung open to reveal Jareth standing before her…but not in any manner that she was accustomed to. His hair was…different. It was short, but had long bangs, and she could see his face. Then she noticed the real difference. He was wearing loose, leather riding pants and a dirty shirt that seemed as though it had become that way only very recently. And the look in his eyes was…vulnerable.

"Lady Sarah…if you would be so kind as to join me for this evening's meal. If you do not want to, I understand, and can have your food sent directly here to your quarters." The entire time he spoke, he never once lifted his eyes to hers, keeping them turned down as though he were a mere servant in the presence of a queen.

His tone was soft, subservient, and she was shocked at the way that he was acting. Gone was the smug Goblin King, and in his place was…well, to put it simply, a broken and humble man. She had a strange feeling that while she had been at the Labyrinth's mercy he had been putting on the act of the tyrannical and unfeeling ruler, and that the man that she saw before her now was Jareth, who the Goblin King _really_ was.

She hesitantly replied. "I…I will be glad to join you, Goblin King. Is-Is this alright for me to wear?"

At that, he lifted his eyes and she thought she saw his breath catch. There was something in his eyes and it seemed as though he was going to speak, but he remained silent, instead merely nodding his head in approval.

With that, he gave a quick bow. "I will send someone to show you to the dining room."

The sound of the door slamming shut behind him was the only sign to her that he'd ever even been there. She let herself slide onto the daybed, trying to regroup her emotions and collect herself after the strange conversation.

Why was he acting this way towards her? It was utterly and completely confusing, as well as distinctly uncomfortable. Suddenly, she remembered the exact words that he had said to her when trying to convince her to stay… "Just fear me, love me…do as I say, and I will be your _slave!_" Why had he said that he would be her slave? That made no sense to be asking that while at the same time asking for her to do as he said.

Then it hit her. She did as he said and she _had_ feared him, and in a way she _did _care for him, which was some sort of love…and now he was practically her slave. But was that what she wanted? And why was it so important for her to stay with him anyway?

She was broken from her reverie by a knock on the door.

"C-Come in." Her voice was slightly shaky, but she tried to gather her wits about her, knowing that she was about to be taken to have dinner with the Goblin King.

A young boy of about nine walked into the room, wearing clothes very much the same as Jareth had been wearing when he'd left her quarters only a few moments before. She looked down into the boy's face and saw some dirt smudged across his cheek, and she withheld the maternal instinct to reach down and clean it off. He motioned towards her open door and she followed, suddenly aware of the fact that still didn't have any shoes as her feet made no sound on the cold stone as she followed behind the young boy. She might have been a ghost for all she knew, her presence barely noted by the castle.

Her eyes took in the castle around her, and she was pleasantly surprised that the rest of the castle that she could see so far was just as stunning as her own rooms, including beautiful views that looked onto breathtaking vistas of lush gardens.

The boy then opened a door and motioned for her to go inside.

She walked into the room and then came to a dead stop. There was Jareth, near the head of a massive wooden table…and there were his seven brothers. She could recognize them from the drawing that she'd seen earlier when in her rooms alone.

Maybe _this_ was the reason why he had been acting so strangely. No matter where you were or who you were, the pressures that a family put on you were pretty much the same. Was he worried about making a good impression for them? He was dressed much more formally, and he regarded her with a soft look, meeting her eyes for the first time since their last encounter, causing a slight tingle to run along her spine.

She felt slightly awkward at the fact that she wasn't wearing any shoes, but it didn't seem to be a problem as Jareth left his position to come over to where she stood and escort her to the chair at the head of the table.

He motioned for her to sit, and she did so, a small smile appearing on her face as she then saw him motion for his brothers to follow suit, and he then moved to sit at the other end of the table, opposite her.

Not a word was spoken as food was brought out before them, so Sarah decided to see if she could remember who was who while she ate. There were three to each side of the table, and her eye immediately went to the one on her right, who had vibrant red hair. She wracked her brain for a moment, and then remembered. The redhead was Haydn. And his two brothers next to him had chestnut brown and black hair. They were…ah! Brown hair was Edryd, black was Brynnach.

To her left, in order, were a platinum blonde and two more plain brown haired young men. She immediately knew that the blonde was Auryn…but it took her a moment for the other two. They were...Wynn and Idris.

It occurred to her that Jareth was rather unique as his hair, his natural hair, was more of a dusky, dirty blonde, making him stand out among his brothers.

It took her another moment to recognize what they all shared. All of them had the same similar bone structure, and very strong jawlines. But Jareth was the only one among them who had that particular set to his jaw, the one that said "stay away" in all capital letters.

As they all finished their meal, she decided to be bold and speak up, but Jareth beat her to it.

"Sarah…I would like you to meet my-"

She cut him off. "Your brothers. Yes, I know."

He looked at her in shock, but then another expression passed across his face. "Ah. You've been reading the histories, then. Good to know that you don't go into things blindly, Sarah. If you've read them, do you mind telling me, then, why I have invited them here?"

At the question, she froze. What was he playing at? Didn't he know that she couldn't actually read the histories? That she had merely seen the picture? But at his question, all of his brothers turned their eyes towards her, almost identical looks of inquisitiveness on their faces.

She gave a neutral shrug, trying not to let anything show on her face.

"It…It would be rude to presume."

He gave her a look, one eyebrow raised, but a smirk crossed the corner of his mouth and she knew that he was well aware of the fact that she could not understand the words that were in the books. He then gave a slight nod, catching his brothers' eyes as he did so.

Jareth slowly stood, obviously physically reminding everyone of the person that was in charge. He paced around the table, taking his own sweet time, stretching out the silence for as long as he possibly could, trying to make everyone uncomfortable before continuing.

He finally spoke, his words holding unspoken authority in their tone.

"For the past…oh, I don't know how many years it's been, but for however long that we have lived and been given our realms, we have each waited for a queen. We cannot select the queen ourselves. Any woman who enters our kingdoms must defeat a challenge of our devising, and should she defeat it, she shall be considered our equal…as I have explained to you before, Sarah."

She nodded, wondering where he was going with what he was saying…and wondering what he meant by the word "realms", plural.

He paused and looked at each of his brothers in turn, as though asking their permission for something, and then continued.

"However, only one of us needs to have a queen in order for all of us to be…well, you would understand it as "saved". In essence, we will no longer be forced to stay tied to…well, this earth. We will finally be accepted back through the gates of where we came from."

He ended it with that, leaving Sarah even more confused than before at his enigmatic statements, but then she saw the look that the brothers exchanged among themselves. It seemed to be a look of relief, though tinged with some slight resentment towards Jareth. But relief was the most prevalent feeling and emotion in the room. She pulled back in her chair and made to leave the room, but the look in Jareth's eyes as she stood to do so gave her pause.

"I…I'm just…" She paused, unsure of how to gracefully bow out. "I'm just tired. And…and I'd like some time to think about what you've told me, if that's alright."

Her words seem to do the trick, and he merely nodded and motioned to the side of the room where the young boy from before suddenly appeared. The little boy moved to her side and she tried not to smile at the boy's wordless devotion to Jareth.

With that, she was escorted out. As she walked back through the doors, she was completely unaware of the seven pairs of eyes that stared at her departure.

Idris was the first to speak after she was gone.

"Jareth…you were right. She is perfect. A very…a very true soul, if you don't mind me saying so."

Jareth merely nodded his head in his unspoken favorite brother's direction. He trusted Idris' judgment above all others…he had always been the best judge of people and he had never been wrong. He let his eyes fall to his brother Haydn.

"Haydn…will you contact them? Tell them that I've…I've found someone."

His redheaded brother merely nodded and then stood, all of the other brothers following suit. Haydn walked forward towards the blank wall and was suddenly gone in a flash of fiery flame that disappeared as soon as it appeared. Idris did the same, but only after gripping Jareth in a firm hug.

Each of them, in turn, left as well.

Auryn and Wynn both in a flash of brilliant sunlight, Edryd in a pale shimmer. Brynnach lingered behind, more shadow than anything else.

He was the most silent of the seven brothers, but the one that was most worried about Jareth. Though Brynnach was _technically_ the oldest, he still felt that Jareth had always been the one with the most wisdom among them. He walked towards him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Jareth…are you okay?"

He looked at Brynnach, unsure of what to answer. "Honestly, Brynnach…I don't know."

Brynnach's golden eyes stared into him and then broke away. He may not have been the one chosen, but he understood, nonetheless.

He moved to the wall, but then faced the window, his form coalescing into a black as dark as his hair, and the form of a large crow flew through the archway and into the open air. Jareth watched his brother disappear into the fading day, and frustrated sigh escaped him.

Would she ever understand him? Would Sarah ever truly understand who and what he was?

With that depressing thought in mind, he wordlessly vanished the furniture with a flick of his wrist, and then leaned against the wall where they'd disappeared. Then he felt the tears sliding down his face, as well as his body sliding down the wall.

The tears began to fall with reckless abandon, and he brought his head to his bent knees. The sobs shook his frame and as he cried, his glamour slid from him. Gone were the imperial clothes, gone was his perfectly made hair…instead, in its' place was a plain white, blood-stained shirt and brown pants. His boots stayed the same, but that was it. His hair had turned back to its natural state, and was short and ragged, his long bangs hanging across his eyes, hiding the pure fear that lay within them.

The sound of his gasping and wrenching sobs sounded dead in the stone room and echoed off the walls like some haunting eulogy for the damned.

* * *

><p><strong>Part 3?**


	4. Of Lost Souls and Broken Wings

**Chapter 4 - Of Lost Souls and Broken Wings**

Sarah sat on the daybed in her sitting room, lost in thought, trying to wrap her head around what had just happened.

What had he meant by everything that he had just said? It was all just too confusing. She sat there in a slight daze, trying to come to an understanding of what had just happened in the dining room. None of his brothers had said a single word to her…and just what did he mean by "saved"?

While lost to her thoughts, she was suddenly broken from them as a huge crow flew into the room through the window, gracefully landing on the edge of the daybed.

She gave it a curious look, remembering a bird that had visited her before. Could it be him?

But then her internal question was quickly answered as it flitted from off the edge of the daybed and suddenly turned to black shadow that coalesced into the form of a man. Sarah nearly cried out in shock, but then she recognized him. It was Brynnach.

But what was he doing there in her rooms? And how did he even know where her rooms were?

He stood there imperiously, and she tried not to betray the fact that her heart was going at nearly a thousand miles a minute.

He leveled his eyes at her, which she could now see were a deep gold, matching those of the form that he'd just been in. His stare was intense and searching, and she found herself squirming slightly under his inquiring look.

"Sarah…" His voice was soft, and almost bird-like in its lilting tone. "Sarah," he repeated, and then continued. "I need to tell you a few things. It falls to me to do this, as I fear my younger brother doesn't have the strength."

At this statement, her curiosity peaked. What did he mean by all that? She internally shook her head and sighed in exasperation. Getting answers from anyone around there was like pulling teeth, and it was slowly driving her crazy by degrees. She hoped and prayed that whatever Brynnach had to tell her would at least answer some of her unspoken questions, and had a faint feeling that they would.

He motioned towards the daybed that she sat on. "May I…?"

Sarah nodded, and moved over on the cushion, allowing him room to sit down next to her.

As he sat down, she couldn't help but notice how different he was compared to Jareth. They may have looked alike, but she could already tell very distinctly what their differences were. He was the same height, but he had none of the arrogance in his stance, but more of an openness and honesty to his movement.

He let out a deep sigh as he seated himself, and then began to speak.

"You are aware that you are essentially his queen, are you not?" She nodded and he continued. "Good, at least you are aware of that much. Now, to the more difficult part. What you don't know about being his queen, is that you are essentially binding him to this earth, leaving him unable to return with the rest of us..."

He let that dangle and the look of confusion on her face perplexed him. Surely Jareth had at least told her what he was…hadn't he?

She finally spoke up. "I'm very confused. You keep on saying things like returning and "binding to this earth", and things like that...I don't want to seem completely ignorant, but I'm afraid I am. What on earth are you talking about?"

That was when Brynnach realized. No, Jareth had _not_ told her.

The elder brother internally cursed his younger brother for putting him into this position. How dare he not explain to her who he really was? Who they _all_ really were? Did he want the girl to not trust him, and in the end hate him?

He shook his head, wondering how to breach the subject, but realized that there was no delicate way to put things. He would simply have to tell her.

"What do you know about the bible story of the war in heaven?"

Sarah gave him a confused look, but took things in stride. "Uhm, not much really. That there was a plan and that an angel named Lucifer tried to defy that plan, and that a third of the host of heaven followed him and then were cast out. The basic story, pretty much."

At this, Brynnach sighed. Now was the time to tell her.

"Sarah," he started, his tone soft. "What many don't know about this story, is that during this war there were some angels who were outside the gates of heaven at the time, unwilling to go against their brothers and sisters. They didn't agree with Lucifer's decision, but they didn't want to see them gone. They planned to wait on earth until the battle was over, and then they would go back in and join with the faithful two-thirds of the heavenly host. However…"

Brynnach paused and Sarah watched as he seemed to cringe, almost as though reliving a painful memory. But of course it wasn't a memory, it was probably just sympathy for the characters of the bible story he spoke of. She had never taken them very literally in the past, but he seemed to take them personally.

He finally continued.

"However, after the one-third had been banished to Hell, the gates of heaven were closed, leaving those angels down on earth lost outside the gates of heaven. They were not so wrong as to be cast down with Lucifer, but they could not be allowed back in. So, they became the Fae."

He then put a hand on her shoulder, forcing her eyes to meet his. "_We_ became the Fae, Sarah."

At this revelation, she felt something inside of her crumble. Jareth…and his brothers…were once angels? She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. No, this was ridiculous, it just wasn't possible…and yet, it seemed to explain so much.

Brynnach let out a sigh and then spoke again, explaining even further.

"For a time, when people came to the earth, we were revered, thought of as good spirits because we never aged and could never die. But then we became…well, I don't know what happened. But I do know this," he said, turning to face her more fully in his seat. "We were finally offered a chance. We were told by a heavenly messenger that we would be given realms to guard, to lead to prosperity, and possibly earn our way back. He told us that the seven of us, myself and my brothers, would be given leadership."

His eyes dropped, and his voice went quiet.

"Then we were told what the stipulation was. We were to make a most devious puzzle of our own design, using our greatest and most cunning knowledge, and were to lure young women into our realms. If a woman defeated one of us, then that Fae would stay behind in order to make the sacrifice to save the others. If any one of these young women were to defeat one, _only_ one, it would show that we were _willing_ to sacrifice for another, and we would be let back into the kingdom."

Sarah looked confused, so he explained even further.

"You see, if the puzzle was _truly_ of our greatest abilities, then no mortal _could_ defeat it. It would be impossible…but if a mortal did defeat it, then it would show that one of us was willing to let himself be claimed to this earth to save the others. We are naturally rather vain, as we were once pure angels, but an angel in an earthly realm filled with the natural man's temptations…well, let's just say that we fall much harder than would any normal man. We succumb easily to our desires and do not like to be bested. We pride ourselves on being the best…"

Brynnach's voice drifted once more, and finally Sarah was understanding what he meant. Jareth had made his Labyrinth to be broken, and now that she had won he had saved all of his brothers…but at the same time, damned himself.

The raven-haired Fae looked at her and saw the look in her eyes. Yes…now she understood.

He stood, and was about to leave, but she grasped his sleeve, a question in her eyes. He sat back down beside her and nodded, giving her permission to ask.

"Brynnach…does Jareth hate me?"

At that, Brynnach realized that she still didn't understand everything. Feeling bold, he reached his hand forward, clasping her right hand in his left. He gave it a soft squeeze and was pleased when she returned the gesture.

"Sarah," he started, but suddenly lost his voice. How was he going to explain this to her without breaking her heart? He took a deep breath and delved in anyway. "Sarah, Jareth doesn't hate you. He…well, he's hating himself right now more than anything. In fact, in case you don't remember, he loves you."

He gave her a searching look, and her eyes widened as she remembered how Jareth had convinced her to stay. He had reminded her of why he was there.

Then it all hit her at once.

He hadn't _wanted_ to stay on earth, he had wanted to return with his brothers, but then he'd fallen in love with her and she'd defeated his Labyrinth, and now…oh god, what was she going to do? She lifted a hand to her mouth, shocked at what she'd discovered.

He was torn between two worlds. He wanted to be with her, but he wanted to return. He had made his Labyrinth to be defeated just by her because he loved her and wanted to be with her, but at the same time, by doing so, he was cutting himself off from the heavenly realm that he once called home, even though he was desperate to go back to where he truly belonged. She felt her heart sink in her chest…he had damned himself by falling in love with her.

Brynnach saw the true meaning hit home, and he knew it was time to go.

He carefully extricated his hand from her grip and stood up, and soon the sound of wings filled the room as he took off, leaving her behind him.

Sarah slowly lifted herself from the daybed and dragged herself into the bedroom, where she then threw herself onto the bed covers, tears coursing down her cheeks. It wouldn't have mattered what she had chosen, he would have been in pain. That dinner had been his last with his brothers.

It was all her fault…

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><p><strong>Part 4?**


	5. A Question Is Asked

**Chapter 5 - A Question Is Asked**

Sarah slowly woke up, and she blinked at the sunlight that was streaming in through the far window. She had no idea to tell the time, but realized that she didn't really care. She looked down at herself and cringed at the fact that she'd fallen asleep in such a nice dress.

She slipped from the top of the covers and stood at the end of the bed. At that point she noticed a door that she had not seen before.

It was in a slightly depressed alcove in the wall, artfully hidden from direct view. She walked over to it and placed a hand on the door, and it silently swung open to reveal a stunning bathing room.

It had beautiful, high, white marble walls and a white marble floor, along with an incredibly deep tub made of the same stone and shade. There were luxurious white bath towels, and she couldn't help but reach a hand forward to feel them.

She sighed as her fingers caressed the fabric. They were sinfully soft, and she suddenly found herself dying for a good bath. Quickly, she shut the bathroom door behind her and headed over to the tub. There were two handles, and she turned the one on the right and practically moaned in contentment as wonderfully hot water poured out of it. Finding a small stone container filled with some sort of soapy substance, she poured some of it into the water and watched with barely contained glee as it foamed up into a rich lather.

She quickly pulled her dress over her head and let herself slip into the water. She sighed in contentment as her body was enveloped in a comforting warmth. She needed this. Especially after an evening that she'd had the day before.

The bath was over too quickly, but as she dried off she took her time deciding what to wear.

A plain green dress had appeared overnight in her wardrobe and she felt it would be best for her planned activities. She had silently decided that she was going to see the castle and learn more about what Brynnach had told her…and, if possible, talk to him again.

As she slipped the gown over her head, something in the back of her mind finally reappeared after having slid silently into her unconscious thoughts the night before.

Brynnach had said that they had been angels, once. What exactly did that entail? Did that mean that they had been simply that? Angels?

Sarah vaguely remembered from some bible study from when she was younger, and forced to go to Sunday school, that there were several different kinds of angels. If they were normal angels, why had they been given such a special chance to return? Maybe someone wanted them back?

With those thoughts in mind, she made her way out of her rooms and down the halls of the castle, hoping to find the library.

However, she found herself truly lost after about fifteen minutes of wandering.

She sighed in exasperation, and threw herself down onto a bench that lay opposite a large stone window in the wall that looked out onto what seemed to be a lake.

For a moment, she ignored the view and let herself pout, taking great liberty to feel sorry about herself and her lost state, but soon she could no longer ignore it. It was simply stunning, and the powerful shade of blue seemed to arrest her vision with its intensity.

Suddenly, she heard a fluttering, and then a familiar crow landed on the sill. Its head cocked to the side and it gave her a pointed look, and she sheepishly shrugged.

"I'm lost," was all that she said, but then she suddenly felt ridiculous for talking to a bird. What if it wasn't him?

She ducked her head at her own embarrassment, but then was reassured as the black-feathered creature suddenly flew from the windowsill and then twisted into forms of shadow that soon revealed themselves to be Brynnach.

"Hello again, Sarah."

She found a genuine smile stretching across her lips at his words, and she scooted over slightly on the bench to imply that he could be comfortable with her.

He walked across the way and sat down next to her, a soft smile appearing on his own lips as well.

They sat there for a few silent moments, merely enjoying the other's company, but her thoughts kept on going to the questions that still lingered in her mind. She knew that Jareth would not speak to her, so she had no choice but to ask his brother.

"Brynnach," she started, but he interrupted her.

"Please, call me Bryn."

She blushed, and then continued. "Bryn…I was wondering a few things, and I know that if I asked Jareth that he won't answer me. You're the only one who has told me _any_thing about what's going on, and I'm afraid that I'm still confused about a few things."

A look crossed the dark-haired man's handsome features, but he gave her a nod, obviously encouraging her to continue.

"Well," she started, not sure where to start. "Uhm…I was wondering about something in particular. Something that might or might not be relevant, but it's important to me."

He nodded once more, not saying anything lest he should deter her from her questions.

She bit her lip nervously, and then continued.

"Well…I was wondering about the angel thing. I mean, I _get_ it, I do, but…what kind of angels were you? I mean, I remember stories from Sunday school from the couple of times that I went, but I'm honestly confused."

He said nothing at first, merely staring at her for a few moments and then looking at the ground between them.

"Sarah…" His voice was soft, but very demanding. "You need to understand that we are different. I am proud of the fact that you've accepted that we're angels, but this next part just might be a bit harder to accept."

He paused, and then continued. "As angels, we have hierarchies and different levels of…of responsibility. The seven of us were…well, Sarah, we were once very righteous, very important. We were the seven of the inner circle. In the stories in the bible we are not mentioned, but we were very important in the final battle. However, we saw things a bit differently…hence we were not let back in. We were what some people call seraphim; also known as the highest order among angels…"

He paused and watched as Sarah slowly processed what he had just told her.

The expressions that passed across her face were too quick for Brynnach to catch, but he had a hopeful feeling that she understood what he was trying to say. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it, as though changing her mind.

Finally, she broke the silence.

"I see..." She paused, collecting her thoughts, and then spoke once more. "I just have one last question."

He nodded, wordlessly encouraging her to continue.

"Why…wait, no. Wait, yes. Why do you and your brothers resent Jareth?"

At her question, Brynnach's head snapped back in shock. How had she known? Had it been that blatantly obvious? He shook his head, trying to control himself in his reaction to her question. It was highly personal, but he realized that she needed to know everything in order to make the right decisions later on.

He took a deep breath, running a hand through his raven-colored locks.

"We…we don't resent him, not really. It's more of, uh, an envy? He has what none of us can have."

At this, he gave her a pointed look, but Sarah seemed to not notice, so he explained.

"He has you."

Her head snapped up at this, and he quickly amended his statement. "No, no. We don't want _you_, we want…well, we want to _have_ someone. Someone who we can love and eventually be loved by in return. We can't have that once we return."

At that, her eyes widened, and she finally realized what he meant. They wanted love, that was why all of them secretly hoped to be the one to be chosen to stay, but at the same time feared it…because they knew that to have someone to love was cutting them off from their goal. They couldn't have that where they were going. So even though they resented Jareth for having her, at the same time they were relieved because it meant that they didn't have to be cut off, that they could go home.

Silent tears ran down her face for the second time in two days, and Brynnach left as silently as he could. A soft black feather was all that remained behind, and through her tears Sarah watched as it fluttered in the air over where he'd been sitting only moments before.

As her tears slowly abated she gently grasped the feather in her right hand and then gasped as it changed into a soft tawny color…exactly like one that could have fallen from an owl that she knew.

A soft smile appeared on her lips, and she let out a small sigh.

"Thank you."

Her words fell silent in the cool air, but a faint echo sounded down the hallway, almost as though carrying her words to the king who could not bear to look at her, let alone talk to her. It felt like a warm reassurance that he could still hear her, that even if he tried to escape it, it would eventually find him.

With that in mind, she headed back to her rooms, feeling a peace that she hadn't felt since…never.

That was when it hit her.

She had never felt that way in her entire life. But she felt it here.

With that reassuring thought, she made her way back to her rooms, idly twirling the light brown feather between her fingers. Maybe, just maybe, things wouldn't be so bad. Maybe she would be just fine. And maybe, just maybe…she could learn to love him.

* * *

><p><strong>Part 5?**


	6. The Weight Is Lifted

**A.N. - This chapter took a long time for me to get down! This is, regrettably, the _last_ chapter of this story. I thought that it would be longer, but my characters are telling me that it ain't gonna happen, so please don't flame me! By the way, thank you so much to all of my faithful reviewers and silent readers! I love you all!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6 - The Weight is Lifted<strong>

Sarah looked at herself in the mirror and sighed as she placed her brush on the vanity.

It had been eight years already, and she was twenty-three. She still stayed in separate rooms from Jareth, but at least they talked. The past eight years had been interesting ones to say the least. Through the first three, she had felt so guilty that she'd been unable to be in the same room as him, but he'd never said a word.

She glance at herself in the mirror, not at all displeased with what she saw. Her hair had lengthened, and had developed some loose curls and she'd grown several inches. In fact, she was practically Jareth's height, something that she had noticed several times whenever they walked through the gardens and talked. She glanced down and blushed. She'd also developed rather well in, uhm, _other_ areas, and filled out the dresses that had changed throughout the years.

She'd read through most of the books in her small library and had only recently, within the past year or so, started in on the main library that Jareth frequented.

However, the language that some of the books were written in still escaped her. She had attempted to mention it to Jareth once, but he had avoided answering.

Thinking of it, however, had her mind wondering and she slowly stood up and pulled on a gray silk dressing gown that was long enough that it caressed the floor with every step that she took. It was her favorite one, and she had worn it on countless occasions over the past several years.

She slipped from her room and walked silently down the hall, barefoot once more. She suddenly remembered eight years earlier, the first time that she'd ever walked those particular halls. She hadn't had shoes then…and since that first time she had quickly discovered that she preferred to go without shoes.

It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless. She slipped through the doorway and reverently picked up the book from the table that she'd left there from the night before.

It was a fascinating read, and she had been captured by the title. _On the Gates of Heaven_.

She carefully flipped the pages, going back to where she had left off the previous evening. She had been reading about the war in heaven, and was gaining much insight as to what had truly happened to Jareth and his brothers.

Over the years, she had seen Brynnach on occasion, as well as Edryd. Her communication with Jareth was still few and far between. They rarely exchanged words, and even then, for him, it was clipped words and terse syllables. It wasn't all that different from the beginning…except for how she felt towards him.

Only a few things had happened between them, but they were enough. She was finally seeing him for who he was. He was a man that was simply trying to find his place in the realm that he'd been asked to protect and guard. He was beautiful, but broken. She watched him when he wasn't looking, and was amazed by the kindness that she discovered within him. There were apparently palace horses, and from what she had observed, he went out riding almost every day.

He was gentle with the large animals, and he seemed to be truly at ease around them. It was all soft, low, warm whispers and strong hands between him and his horses.

She watched him every morning as he saddled up his favorite, a dusty brown gelding by the name of Bowen.

Every morning he went through the same actions. Blanket, saddle, bridle, and so on. However, this morning had been different. As she'd watched him, he'd forgone everything and merely slid onto Bowen's bare back and taken off past the gardens to the riding paths.

Sarah watched him for as long as she could, following his every movement with quick glances and lingering gazes.

She didn't dare admit it out loud, but he had captured her heart without having to say more than two words to her in a day.

It had been subtle, and she'd barely even noticed it happening. A look here, a touch there, and that was all it was. Simply being around him and learning what kind of man he truly was had made her see him in an entirely different light.

She closed the book in her lap, realizing that she wasn't paying the least bit attention to it, and placed it on the table in front of her. Her thoughts drifted to what they would be doing for their evening meal, a time of day that she both dreaded and looked forward to.

Tonight, she was going to talk to him. She was going to tell him.

She headed back to her room and slid on a silk robe, instead of the gray one that she had been wearing, over her day dress, needing to feel as though she had some sort of armor.

As she walked down the castle halls towards the dining area, her thoughts strayed to him once more.

She wondered how Jareth would take the news. Would he be thrilled to know that she finally returned his feelings? Or, after all these years, had he lost hope and had his feelings for her vanished? Her stomach was turning into knots at all the possibilities of what might happen.

She slipped into the room as silently as she could, making her way to the end of the table where she usually sat.

A boy around the age of seventeen appeared in the corner of the room and she smiled. It was Owen, the servant who she had first met when she'd first arrived so many years ago.

He moved towards her, a soft smile on his face, and she gave him a small nod.

Without pausing, he placed a covered platter in front of her and then quickly moved to the other side of the table, setting up Jareth's food for him. Both she and Owen knew that Jareth rarely arrived on time, and when he did arrive, it was always with an air about him that left them feeling as though he had arrived to his own execution.

Owen left the room, leaving her there alone.

She waited for a few moments, hoping he would show soon. What she was going to say to him was truly turning her insides. He had to know.

He had to understand that things had changed, that her _feelings_ had changed.

The sound of footsteps just outside the door caught her attention, and she stared at the doors, waiting for him to enter. There was a long pause, but the doors finally opened…and in walked Jareth, his eyes never straying from in front of him, acting as though she wasn't even there.

"Evening," was all that she said, but his eyes snapped over to hers for a brief moment before returning to his chair.

He sat down and began to eat, while Sarah simply sat in her chair, wringing her hands, wondering how to bring up the topic.

She couldn't think of a single way.

The two of them never spoke during dinner, and even if they did, how would she have brought up the subject? 'Hi, Jareth, just so you know after eight years of absolute torturous silence and quiet suffering, I think I love you,' would probably not go over well.

She took a deep breath, trying to stabilize herself. And then it came to her.

"How…how was your ride this morning?"

She picked up her knife and fork in an indifferent manner and began to eat, out of the corner of her eye watching his reaction to her question.

Jareth had stopped eating, casting a glance down the long table, as though surprised that she had spoken. He seemed unsure of himself, and she could sense his discomfort even from where she sat, but she waited patiently for his response.

"It was…" He hesitated, and then continued. "It was quite good…thank you for asking."

Inwardly, she let out a sigh of relief. He was willing to speak to her. That was a good sign. She went to take another bite, but suddenly froze as he spoke once more.

"How have you been, Sarah?"

She didn't know what to say. After eight years of silence, of him being seemingly indifferent as to whether or not she was in the castle, let alone as to how she was feeling, she was completely at a loss for words. She stumbled over her words trying to respond.

"I…I've been good. I mean, I mean well. Well, why wouldn't I have been good? I mean _well_, I mean…" Her voice faded slightly and she felt blood rushing to her face.

She clamped down on her vocal chords, determined to stay silent until she could collect herself.

She chanced a glance down the table and was surprised to see him suppressing a grin. He was laughing at her!

Sarah felt her face flush even hotter and inwardly chastised herself at her reaction. She was a grown woman, for goodness sake! She was no longer the fourteen year-old girl that he'd come across those many years ago…and yet, he was still able to cause her to revert back to feeling as though she were.

Then she heard a low chuckle escape his lips and a sheepish smile appeared on her own.

"I…I have missed this, Sarah."

It was strange to hear her name on his lips after so many years. But this time, it brought another flush to her face, but for an entirely different reason.

She slowly nodded her head, pulling a strand of hair from her face. "I've missed it, too, Jareth."

A smile slowly passed over her lips, and she suddenly felt something. She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew that it was important, of that she was certain. She chanced a look in his direction and was silently thrilled by what she saw in his eyes. Friendship…and something more.

So, he hadn't forgotten her.

It had been so long since they'd interacted, that she wasn't entirely sure how to act around him.

At that moment, she was rather aware of the fact that she was very much an adult, as was he, and that she was…attracted to him. Emotionally, as well as physically.

Suddenly, she realized that she had to tell him. This was the moment that she'd been waiting for; the tension between them was broken, he was somewhat relaxed, and she now knew that his feelings towards her hadn't changed…but possibly might have strengthened even more.

Sarah lowered her eyes back to her plate, and then began to speak.

"Jareth…I've not forgotten the sacrifice you made." She paused to lift her eyes and gauge his reaction as she spoke. "And I have something important to tell you."

At this, his look turned from one of passing interest to focused curiosity.

She bit her lip at what she was about to say, but pressed forward.

"I…I love you. I…I've fallen in love with you. I-I want to be your wife as well as your queen."

His eyes widened slightly, but he said nothing at her bold admission. But then she saw that his hands were gripping the edge of his chair in a death grip so tight that his knuckles were turning white. She swallowed nervously, wondering what he would say.

She watched as he slowly rose from his chair, walking down to where she sat.

She moved to stand, but he placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her in her chair.

He slowly knelt on one knee to the floor, moving his hand from her shoulder to cover her own hand, where it lay on the arm of the chair.

Jareth's touch was light, but firm. She stared at where their hands touched, suddenly fascinated by the way his hands were shaped. They looked as though they belonged on the keys of a grand piano, creating beautiful, haunting melodies.

His voice was low as he spoke, and unassuming. She found herself drawn in by his soothing tone.

"Sarah…I could want nothing more." He lifted his free hand to her face, drawing her eyes back up to his own. "I have loved you, and waited for you, for such a long time."

He traced his thumb along the curve of her jaw, and she shivered at the sensation.

She was finding it hard to breathe, and she knew exactly the reason why. He was staring at her with those eyes, causing her to fall into them…to drown in them. The emotion in his eyes was so thick that it felt as though she could slip beneath them and find herself in another world.

He started to lean forward, but then pulled back, drawing back his hand as well.

"I'm sorry…I wouldn't dare to presume…"

Suddenly, she realized what he'd been about to do and quickly grabbed his hand, keeping him at her side.

Without even thinking, she spoke on instinct.

"Please…presume away."

She held his gaze, and the world slowly slid out of focus as he moved closer and his lips finally found place against her own. He was warm and soft, everything she'd ever hoped for in a kiss. He continued to brush his lips against her own, and she felt herself succumbing to the pure sensation of it.

Sarah parted her lips slightly, and he responded wholeheartedly, his tongue sliding across her lips and slowly dipping between them to explore.

She heard herself groan and she welcomed the intrusion.

He tasted amazing, and she never wanted to leave that moment. That moment where he was kissing her, and she was kissing him, and everything was perfect.

After a few long, passion-filled moments, he drew back, ignoring her soft mewl of protest. She sighed as she felt his free hand slide up to caress the side of her face. She leaned into the touch, and held his eyes as he gazed at her.

"Thank you, Sarah…thank you for making it all worth it."

She ducked her head in embarrassment, but he lifted her eyes back to his. They held each other's gaze for a long while, lost in the world that existed solely of the two of them, and Sarah watched as a slow smile stretched across his lips.

"Thank you," he repeated.

She slid her hand up to wrap around the one that still rested along her face. Their fingers entwined and now she was the one to smile.

"No, Jareth…thank _you_. Thank you for not forcing the issue all these years. You should have hated me by now for making you suffer in silence for so long…but you don't. That is most certainly the mark of a great man."

He said nothing, and simply continued to stare at her.

She leaned in and placed a soft kiss against his lips, taking both of them off guard by her boldness. He leaned into the kiss and then slowly pulled back, resting his forehead against her own, both of their eyes closing at the closeness that they shared. He finally broke the silence.

"Just so you know, Sarah…you were worth it."

* * *

><p><strong>THE END<strong>


End file.
